Duke Nukem 4ever, 13 years in the making, finally has a release date
“Duke Nukem Forever,” a video game synonymous with never being released, is finally being released.
The first person shooter about a space marine with a penchant for off-color humor who battles aliens with increasingly destructive weapons, was to be the fourth installment in a series of games that garnered critical praise and generated controversy for its depiction of women. After 10 years in development, 3D Realms, the studio behind the game, announced it was shutting down in 2009.
The game is being finished by Gearbox Software and will be published by Take-Two Interactive, publisher of the “Grand Theft Auto” series.
More here...
http://www.pcworld.com/article/204844/pigs_fly_duke_nukem_forever_to_ship_in_2011.html?tk=hp_new
And here...
Nintendo 3DS game console announced
Straight from the planned-obsolescence department:
Just a few weeks after I gave my daughter a new Nintendo DSi XL for her birthday, Nintendo has announced the first 3D portable game console: the 3DS.
Featuring a larger, 3-D upper screen and improved Wi-Fi capability, the 3DS will also include dual lenses for one of its built-in cameras, allowing your kids to take 3-D photos. Something that even my wife's professional DSLR can't do.
No price or release date has been announced yet, but it's nice to know that my 12-year-old's third DS is already obsolete. At least the bigger XL case should live longer than the previous two, as the clamshell hinge should be stronger - an advantage I don't expect to see in the smaller sized 3DS.
Device Manager – Microsoft ISATAP driver error in Vista
If you are running Windows Vista, you may have recently noticed an error in your device manager. This error is indicated with a little yellow warning triangle next to the "Microsoft ISATAP Adapter", and if you click the Properties for this item, you see this warning: "This device is not working properly because Windows cannot load the drivers required for this device. (Code 31)"
The good news here is that Microsoft is aware of this problem, and the better news is that the ISATAP driver is still working, despite what the error warnings tell you. Microsoft's recommendation is to ignore the message and go on your merry way. It's a non-issue in their minds.
This "adapter" is not really a new piece of hardware, it's a kludge that Microsoft has included in a Windows Vista update to transition users from IPv4 (that's the version of the Internet that is running out of addresses) to IPv6 (which is the newer version of the internet that is NOT running out of addresses). Once it's in place, it's a part of your internet connection system and it should NOT be uninstalled or disabled if your internet connection is working. Depending on your connection type, removing it could disable your internet connectivity completely! If you have no connection problems, just ignore it as Microsoft suggests; they'll have a fix eventually.
On the other side of the coin, if you've got connection problems that seem to have started at the same time this warning appeared, then perhaps disabling the driver may solve the problem for you. Just right-click on the ISATAP adapter in Device Manager and select Disable (NOT, I repeat, NOT Uninstall!). Then exit device manager and restart your computer. If that doesn't solve it (or if your connectivity completely fails where it may have been working however poorly before) then you should open Device Manager again and re-enable the adapter. If any of this is confusing or if you do not feel comfortable working in the sensitive areas of your computer, have a professional (like that Gerald Albion guy) do this for you.
If you have any questions, or to book a service call, call 
or email 
.
This post applies to you if you see this in the Device Manager
This post refers to Microsoft Knowledgebase article KB932520.
Do I need a new computer?
Do I need a new computer?
This is one of the questions we are most frequently asked. Usually, we hear this question when a PC seems to be slower than expected.
The good news is that in many cases, the answer is no - you don't need a new computer, you just need to make your existing one perform better!
The "conventional wisdom" in the computer sales industry is that a slow computer needs to be upgraded, and that upgrades are expensive and ineffective compared with buying a whole new system. This is the position of those who are in the business of selling computers, of course.
But if your computer is less than about 5 years old, there is a very good chance that a memory upgrade (to at least 2 gigabytes RAM or more) will speed up your computer's performance dramatically for a minimal cost.
If your computer's file system or registry needs maintenance, or if you have a lot of un-needed programs installed, and especially if your computer is infected with spyware or viruses - a stunning improvement in performance can be achieved without ever taking the cover off your computer case!
On a service call where the complaint is a slow PC, we will first observe your computer's startup. If we see a lot of startup programs, we'll consult with you as to whether you really need them all. We'll look for the kind of behaviour that viruses, spyware and other malware exhibit, and if we think you have an infection, we'll recommend our flat-rate malware removal service. After the system has booted up and settled down at last, we'll look in your System Information page to see what kind of hardware you've got, and recommend upgrades only where cleaning up your software and file system wouldn't do the trick. We'll also make sure you don't have a full or nearly-full hard drive, which can really make a system slow to a crawl.
Only if we arrive to find that no simpler solutions exist will we recommend a faster computer. And even then, a processor upgrade may be enough. Usually this requires also replacing the motherboard and memory, and can cost a few hundred dollars - still usually cheaper than a complete swapout of your computer. Usually cheaper, but not always - depending on the age and condition of your existing PC, and on market conditions at the time, a whole new box sometimes is the best option.
Of course, this only applies for desktop computers; with the exception of memory and hard disks, laptops usually can't be upgraded with faster hardware.
If you have any questions, or to book a service call, call or email .
IDS Service – Victoria and Area
Thanks for your interest in having your PC or network serviced by IDS. Island Digital Services is the service business of Gerald Albion: technician, software developer, instructor and digital artist with over 22 years professional experience.
Although this site is written from the point of view of IDS as a company (using the first-person plural, aka the "royal we" frequently), it's really all Gerald. *I* will put my nearly quarter-century of experience to work on solving whatever PC and network problems you bring to me, as quickly and economically (and effectively!) as possible. And with no unexplained jargon - you will never be left in the dark.
We offer onsite and pickup/delivery service in the Greater Victoria area. We do charge an hourly rate for most services, but we have a flat rate for services such as virus removal which can take many hours but do not require human intervention.
Hourly rate: $59/hr plus taxes (most computer stores charge $80/hr or more). This is for both on-site and in-shop service. Minimum 30 minutes.
Guaranteed 100% Virus/Spyware Removal: $69 flat plus taxes. Pickup/delivery and unrelated services not included.
If your computer is infected with malware (spyware, viruses and the like), we will recommend that it be serviced in our shop. This is because a thorough virus scan can take hours, and we require a minimum of two thorough scans to guarantee 100% removal. Not to worry though, virus scanning is mostly an automated process, meaning that I'm not going to charge you by the minute to run our antivirus scanners while I work on something else. The time it takes is unpredictable, which is why a flat rate for the whole job is used instead of our hourly rate. We guarantee that your computer will be returned to you malware-free. This flat charge includes re-installation of your operating system in the very unlikely event that should prove necessary.
For more routine work like network installation and troubleshooting, operating system and software upgrades, and hardware installation, it is usually cheaper and more convenient to complete this work on-site - in your home or office.
We accept cash, cheques, and credit cards (currently through PayPal - we'll walk you through this online).
Returned cheques subject to a $30 charge. Sorry, but that's what our bank charges us.
If you have any questions, or to book a service call, call 
or email 
.